In the apartment's living room, a young girl lies on the sofa, completely engrossed in a TV show. Her eyes intently focus on the screen as her hand grabs some chips from the table. The dramatic scene captivates her, leaving her unaware of someone approaching.
"You forgot your friend's meeting!" someone exclaimed, startling her.
"Ahhhhh! Oops!" she shouted before her friend quickly covered her mouth.
"Oi... quiet, Yuki!" Aiko, the girl who entered the room to find her friend, who was late for the team meeting. And a girl named Yuki was laughing at that.
"Hahaha! Sorry, I focus on drama. You just entered quietly, so it can't help," Yuki responded with a smile and looked at her friend with puppy eyes. Aiko gazed with Yuki's puppy eyes, but it didn't work on its own.
"Sorry!!!" Yuki, still with puppy eyes, glances at Aiko, who makes an annoying expression. Then she signs and sits down near Yuki. Yuki smiles up and massages her friend's shoulder.
''I don't know the schedule, nobody sent it to me!'' Yuki exclaimed when she felt Aiko calm down from her mad.
Aiko sighed deeply, feeling the tension ease with Yuki's gentle touch. "You always get lost in those shows," she said, shaking her head but unable to suppress a smile.
"It's like you have a superpower for ignoring everything else!"
Yuki giggled, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. "I can't help it! The drama, the romance—it's just so addictive!" She leaned back on the sofa, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "But fine, I'll focus more on our meetings from now on. I promise!"
Aiko rolled her eyes playfully. "You said that last time, and we ended up rescheduling because you missed the memo."
"I know, I know," Yuki replied, her voice light and teasing. "But that was a special episode! It had a huge cliffhanger! You can't blame me for that!"
"Okay, maybe not," Aiko chuckled, finally feeling the annoyance diminish. "But you owe me one. How about you bring snacks next time for our meeting?"
"Deal!" Yuki said enthusiastically, clapping her hands as if sealing a pact. "But no boring ones! I'll get the extra cheesy chips, and we can binge-watch a new show after!"
Aiko raised an eyebrow. "That sounds tempting, but we really should get more organized. Our team needs to know we're serious!"
"I promise I'll manage my time better!" Yuki exclaimed, a spark of determination glowing in her eyes. "Just remind me when the next meeting is, okay? I'll be your diligent assistant!"
"Assistant?" Aiko laughed, giving Yuki a playful nudge. "More like 'assistant in drama-watching!'"
"Hey, every great team needs a morale booster!" Yuki shot back, grinning. "And speaking of which, what are we watching now? I think I've missed a key plot twist!"
Aiko shook her head, a smile breaking through her faux-seriousness. "Just one more episode, and then we focus. But only if you promise you won't lose track of time again!",
Afterward, Aiko and Yuki attended a friend's meeting where they changed the schedule while Yuki was late. As they walked down the street, they saw a group of kids bullying a cat.
Yuki approached them and said, "Hey! You can't bully animals like that." She grabbed the hand of a child who was about to throw a rock at the cat. "Go home and study!" she added.
"Sumimasen," the kids said, running away. Aiko watched them flee and then turned to Yuki as she returned.
"Kids these days are so annoying," Yuki complained.
"Calm down, they're just kids," Aiko said with a reassuring smile.
As they continued walking, they noticed a black car stop under the bridge they were crossing. Yuki, curious, moved closer to inspect it.
"Is that car always parked here?" she asked.
Suddenly, a group of masked men approached and covered Yuki and Aiko's mouths with cloths, causing them to collapse into unconsciousness.
"Let's load them into the car," one of the men said as the girls fell asleep.
The black car weaved through the forest, over water, and across rough terrain. Inside, two people sat in front while ten others, bound and covered in fabric, lay in school uniforms.
Twenty minutes later, they reached an old building resembling a school, marked by the gate labeled Jinro Game.
They drove inside and laid the ten individuals on the gym floor, the masked men quickly dispersed, their movements silent and efficient.
Under the flickering fluorescent lights, the dim gymnasium echoed with the sound of the girls' soft breathing, an eerie contrast to the chaos that had just erupted outside.
"Secure the exits," one of the leaders commanded, his voice low but authoritative. The others nodded, splitting into pairs to ensure that no potential escape routes were left open.
As the minutes ticked by, the tension in the air thickened. The girls began to stir, their senses slowly awakening from the fog of unconsciousness.
Blinking against the harsh lights above them, confusion spread across their faces. All they could see were the unfamiliar surroundings and the strange figures surrounding them.
"Where... where are we?" Yuki whispered, panic rising in her throat as her eyes darted around for any sign of reassurance.
"Stay calm," Aiko murmured, her hand instinctively reaching out to clasp Aiko's.
The TV on the table emitted a glow that caught everyone's attention in the room, A few messages appeared on the screen.
"Welcome to Jinro Game," one student announced, his voice trembling. "You have been chosen for an exclusive competition. If you follow the rules, you might just survive."
A chorus of gasps filled the air, a mix of fear and disbelief. The word "competition" echoed in the large space. Yuki's heart raced as memories of the Jinro Game—whispers of survival, deceit, and betrayal—flooded back to her.
"What's going on?... Who would joke about this?" one shouted in anger, scanning the room frantically.
"Hey! Calm down!" another called out, noticing his rising agitation, but was brushed aside. "Hah!"
"I don't care who's staying to die! I'm going back!" he yelled, trembling and wide-eyed with fear.
He rushed outside, but just as he reached the door...
Boom!!
Unnoticed by the others, each person wore a small necklace. Once go outside, the necklaces would ring, and their bodies would explode.
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!"